The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 195
23:4 Asherah. See note on 21:7. the fields of Kidron. Josiah burned everything in the temple that was devoted to idolatry. This was done in the lower portion of the Kidron Valley, E of the city of Jerusalem (cf. v. 6). ashes to Bethel. Located about 10 mi. N of Jerusalem, Bethel was one of the two original places where Jeroboam I established an apostate worship center (1 Kin. 12:28–33). Bethel was located just N of the border of Judah in the former northern kingdom, which was then the Assyrian province of Samaria. With a decline in Assyrian power, Josiah was able to exert his religious influence in the N. He used the ashes of the burned articles of idolatry to desecrate Jeroboam’s religious center (cf. vv. 15–20).
23:5 constellations. Cf. 21:3. The astrologers were also removed. See Is. 47:13.
23:6 wooden image. The idol of Asherah (see note on 21:7). graves of the common people. The Kidron Valley contained a burial ground for the common people (cf. Jer. 26:23). Scattering ashes from the object of idolatry is said in 2 Chr. 34:4 to have been on the graves of those who sacrificed to that idol. The “common people” had followed their leaders to apostasy, defilement, and damnation—all symbolized by the act of scattering the ashes.
23:7 booths. Tents (called “Succoth Benoth” in 17:30) used by women who were devoted to Asherah, in which they made hangings and committed sexual sins.
23:8 Geba to Beersheba. Geba was located about 7 mi. NE of Jerusalem at the far N of Judah and Beersheba was located ca. 45 mi. S of Jerusalem at the southern end of Judah. Thus, this phrase was an idiomatic way of saying “throughout all of Judah.”
23:10 Topheth. Meaning “a drum” and identifying the area in the Valley of Hinnom where child sacrifice occurred (cf. Is. 30:33; Jer. 7:31, 32; 19:5, 6). Perhaps called “drum” because drums were beaten to drown out the cries of the children being sacrificed.
23:11 horses…dedicated to the sun. The horses and the chariots of the sun were probably thought to symbolize the sun blazing a trail across the sky and were a part of worshiping the sun. Recently, a religious shrine with horse figurines has been found in Jerusalem (cf. Ezek. 8:16).
23:12 on the roof. Altars were erected on the flat roofs of houses so people could worship the “host of heaven” by burning incense (Jer. 19:13; Zeph. 1:5).
23:13 Solomon…had built. Solomon had built high places E of Jerusalem on the Mt. of Olives, renamed after the desecration, to be used in worship of foreign gods, e.g., the fertility goddess Ashtoreth from Sidon, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Molech (1 Kin. 11:7). These altars existed for over 300 years before Josiah finally destroyed them. The placing of human bones defiled them and, thus, rendered these sites unclean and unsuitable as places of worship.
23:15 the altar…at Bethel. Josiah reduced the altar that Jeroboam I had built at Bethel to dust and ashes (see 1 Kin. 12:28–33).
23:16 tombs. Seeing tombs nearby, perhaps where idolatrous priests were buried, Josiah had their bones removed and burned on the altar at Bethel to defile it. This action fulfilled a prophecy given about the altar approximately 300 years before (1 Kin. 13:2).
23:17, 18 See 1 Kin. 13:1–32, especially vv. 31, 32.
23:18 Samaria. The former northern kingdom of Israel had become known as Samaria, so named as an Assyrian province (see note on 17:24).
23:19 cities of Samaria. The desecration of the high place at Bethel was only the beginning of Josiah’s desecration of all the high places in the Assyrian province of Samaria.
23:20 executed all the priests. These non-Levitical priests, who led apostate worship in the former northern kingdom, were idolaters who seduced God’s people into idolatry. They were put to death in accordance with the statutes of Deut. 13:6–18; 17:2–7, and their graves were doubly defiled with burned bones.
23:21, 22 Such a Passover. Judah’s celebration of this Passover (see Deut. 16:2–8) more closely conformed to the instructions given in the Mosaic law than any in the previous 400 years of Israel’s history. Though the Passover was observed by Hezekiah (2 Chr. 30), no observance had been in exact conformity to God’s law since the judges. Further details of this Passover observance are found in 2 Chr. 35:1–19.
23:23 eighteenth year. Ca. 622 B.C. All the reforms of Josiah described took place in the same year (cf. 22:3).
23:24 the book…found. See 22:8.
23:25 no king like him. Of all the kings in David’s line, including David himself, no king more closely approximated the royal ideal of Deut. 17:14–20 than Josiah (cf. Matt. 22:37). Yet, even Josiah fell short of complete obedience because he had multiple wives (cf. vv. 31, 36; see note on Gen. 2:24). However, even this righteous king could not turn away the Lord’s wrath because of Manasseh’s sin (vv. 26, 27). See chaps. 17, 18.
23:29 Necho. Pharaoh Necho II (609–594 B.C.) was an ally of Assyria against the growing power of Babylon. For some unstated reason, Josiah was determined to stop Necho and his army from joining the Assyrian army at the Euphrates River to fight Babylon. Megiddo. The well-fortified stronghold overlooking the Jezreel Valley about 65 mi. N of Jerusalem. Megiddo guarded a strategic pass on the route between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Josiah’s death is explained in more detail in 2 Chr. 35:20–27.
23:31 three months. Jehoahaz reigned during 609 B.C., became a prisoner of Pharaoh Necho II, and ultimately died in Egypt. See note on 2 Chr. 36:1–4.
23:33 Riblah in the land of Hamath. Jehoahaz was in prison at Pharaoh Necho II’s military headquarters located on the Orontes River in the N Lebanon Valley (see note on 25:6). silver…gold. The tax imposed on Judah, whose king was imprisoned, was 750 lbs. of silver and 7.5 lbs. of gold.
23:34 Eliakim…Jehoiakim. In 609 B.C., Pharaoh Necho II placed Jehoahaz’s older brother on the throne of Judah. Necho changed his name from Eliakim, meaning “God has established,” to Jehoiakim, “the Lord has established.” The naming of a person was regarded in the ancient Near East as sign of authority; so by naming Jehoiakim, Necho demonstrated that he was the lord who controlled Judah. As a vassal of Egypt, Judah risked attack by Egypt’s enemy Babylon. See note on 2 Chr. 36:5–8.
23:35 Jehoiakim taxed his people severely to pay tribute to Egypt, though he still had enough to build a magnificent palace for himself (see Jer. 22:13, 14).
23:36 eleven years. 609–597 B.C.
2 Kings 24
24:1 Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar II was the son of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon from 626–605 B.C. As crown prince, Nebuchadnezzar had led his father’s army against Pharaoh Necho and the Egyptians at Carchemish on the Euphrates River in northern Syria (605 B.C.). By defeating the Egyptians, Babylon was established as the strongest nation in the ancient Near East. Egypt and its vassals, including Judah, became vassals of Babylon with this victory. Nebuchadnezzar followed up his victory at Carchemish by invading the land of Judah. Later, in 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar took some captives to Babylon, including Daniel and his friends (cf. Dan. 1:1–3). Toward the end of 605 B.C., Nabopolassar died and Nebuchadnezzar succeeded him as king of Babylon, 3 years after Jehoiakim had taken the throne in Judah (Jer. 25:1). Nebuchadnezzar reigned from 605–562 B.C. three years. Nebuchadnezzar returned to the W in 604 B.C. and took tribute from all of the kings of the W, including Jehoiakim of Judah. Jehoiakim submitted to Babylonian rule from 604–602 B.C. In 602 B.C., Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon, disregarding the advice of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 27:9–11).
24:2 the LORD sent…raiding bands. As punishment for Jehoiakim’s disobedience of the Lord’s Word through His prophet Jeremiah, the Lord sent Babylonian troops, along with the troops of other loyal nations, to inflict military defeats upon Judah.
24:4 innocent blood. See note on 21:16.
24:7 king of Egypt. In 601 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar again marched W against Egypt and was turned back by strong Egyptian resistance. However Egypt, though able to defend its own land, was not able to be aggressive and recover its conquered lands or provide any help for its allies, including Judah.
24:8 eighteen. This reading is preferred over the “eight” of 2 Chr. 36:9 (see note). three months. Having regrouped, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah for a second time in the spring of 597 B.C. Before he could enter Jerusalem, Jehoiakim died and was succeeded as king of Judah by his son, Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin ruled for a short time in 597 B.C. See note on 2 Chr. 36:9, 10.
24:10–12 The Babylonian siege of Jerusalem was begun by the troops of Nebuchadnezzar. Later, Nebuchadnezzar himself went to Jerusalem and it was to the king himself that Jehoiachin surrendered (v. 12).
24:12 eighth year. 597 B.C. For the first time, the books of Kings dated an event in Israelite history by a non-Israelite king. This indicated that Judah’s exile was imminent and the land would be in the hands of Gentiles.
24:13 Nebuchadnezzar plundered the treasures of the temple and king’s palace, just as the Lord had said he would (cf. 20:16–18).
24:14–16 In 597 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar took an additional 10,000 Judeans as captives to Babylon, in particular the leaders of the nation. This included the leaders of the military and those whose skills would support the military. Included in this deportation was the prophet Ezekiel (see notes on Ezek. 1:1–3). Only the lower classes remained behind in Jerusalem. The Babylonian policy of captivity was different from that of the Assyrians, who took most of the people into exile and resettled the land of Israel with foreigners (17:24). The Babylonians took only the leaders and the strong, while leaving the weak and poor, elevating those left to leadership and thereby earning their loyalty. Those taken to Babylon were allowed to work and live in the mainstream of society. This kept the captive Jews together, so it would be possible for them to return, as recorded in Ezra.
24:17 Mattaniah…Zedekiah. Mattaniah was a son of Josiah and an uncle of Jehoiachin (cf. 1 Chr. 3:15; Jer. 1:3). Mattaniah’s name, meaning “gift of the LORD,” was changed to Zedekiah, “righteousness of the LORD.” Nebuchadnezzar’s changing of Zedekiah’s name demonstrated his authority as lord over him (see note on 23:34). See notes on 2 Chr. 36:11–21.
24:18 eleven years. Zedekiah ruled in Jerusalem, under Babylonian sovereignty, from 597–586 B.C.
24:20 Zedekiah rebelled. In 588 B.C., Apries (also called Hophra), the grandson of Necho, became Pharaoh over Egypt. He appears to have influenced Zedekiah to revolt against Babylon (cf. Ezek. 17:15–18).
2 Kings 25
25:1 ninth year. Responding to Zedekiah’s rebellion (24:20), Nebuchadnezzar sent his whole army to lay siege against the city of Jerusalem. The siege began in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, Jan., 588 B.C. The “siege wall” was comprised of either wood towers higher than the walls of the city or a dirt rampart encircling the city.
25:2 eleventh year. Jerusalem withstood the siege until the 11th year of Zedekiah, July, 586 B.C. Hezekiah’s tunnel guaranteed the city an uninterrupted supply of fresh water (20:20) and an Egyptian foray into Judah gave the city a temporary reprieve from the siege (Jer. 37:5).
25:3 famine. After a siege of 2½ years, the food supply in Jerusalem ran out (Jer. 38:2, 3).
25:4 the city wall was broken. The two walls near the king’s garden were probably located at the extreme SE corner of the city, giving direct access to the Kidron Valley. This gave Zedekiah and his soldiers an opportunity to flee for their lives to the E.
25:5 plains of Jericho. Zedekiah fled toward the Jordan Rift Valley. Babylonian pursuers caught him in the Jordan Valley S of Jericho, about 20 mi. E of Jerusalem.
25:6 Riblah. Located on the Orontes River about 180 mi. N of Jerusalem, Riblah was Nebuchadnezzar’s military headquarters for his invasion of Judah. This location was ideally situated as a field headquarters for military forces because ample provisions could be found nearby (cf. 23:33). The captured traitor Zedekiah was brought to Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, where he was blinded after witnessing the death of his sons. The execution of the royal heirs ensured the impossibility of a future claim to the throne or rebellion from his descendants. The blinding made his own future rebellion or retaliation impossible. Jeremiah had warned Zedekiah that he would see Nebuchadnezzar (see notes on Jer. 32:2–5; 34:3), while Ezekiel had said he would not see Babylon (see note on Ezek. 12:10–13). Both prophecies were accurately fulfilled.
25:8 seventh day. See note on Jer. 52:12. This was Aug., 586 B.C., one month after the Babylonian breakthrough of Jerusalem’s walls (vv. 2–4). Nebuzaradan. He was the commander of Nebuchadnezzar’s own imperial guard, sent by the king to oversee the destruction of Jerusalem. The dismantling and destruction of Jerusalem was accomplished by the Babylonians in an orderly progression.
25:9 First, Jerusalem’s most important buildings were burned.
25:10 Second, the Babylonian army tore down Jerusalem’s outer walls, the city’s main defense.
25:11, 12 Third, Nebuzaradan organized and led a forced march of remaining Judeans into exile in Babylon. The exiles included survivors from Jerusalem and those who had surrendered to the Babylonians before the capture of the city. Only poor, unskilled laborers were left behind to tend the vineyards and farm the fields.
25:13–17 Fourth, the items made with precious metals in the temple were carried away to Babylon. See notes on 1 Kin. 7:15–49.
25:17 three cubits. See note on Jer. 52:22.
25:18–21 Fifth, Nebuzaradan took Jerusalem’s remaining leaders to Riblah, where Nebuchadnezzar had them executed. This insured that they would never lead another rebellion against Babylon.
25:18 Seraiah. Seraiah was the grandson of Hilkiah (22:4, 8; 1 Chr. 6:13, 14) and an ancestor of Ezra (Ezra 7:1). Even though Seraiah was executed, his sons were deported (1 Chr. 6:15).
25:21 Judah…carried away captive. Exile was the ultimate curse brought upon Judah because of her disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Lev. 26:33; Deut. 28:36, 64). The book of Lamentations records the sorrow of Jeremiah over this destruction of Jerusalem.
25:22–30 The books of Kings conclude with this brief epilogue. Despite the punishment of the Lord experienced by Israel and Judah, the people were still rebellious (vv. 22–26). However, due to the Lord’s mercy, the house of David endured (vv. 27–30). The books of Kings end with a note of hope.
25:22 Gedaliah. In an attempt to maintain political stability, Nebuchadnezzar appointed a governor from an important Judean family. A more detailed account of Gedaliah’s activities is found in Jer. 40:7—41:18. Gedaliah’s grandfather, Shaphan, was Josiah’s secretary, who had implemented that king’s reforms (22:3). His father, Ahikam, was part of Josiah’s delegation sent to Huldah (22:14) and a supporter of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 26:24).
25:23 Mizpah. Located about 8 mi. N of Jerusalem, Mizpah became the new center of Judah. Mizpah might have been one of the few towns left standing after the Babylonian invasion.
25:24 oath. As governor, Gedaliah pledged to the remaining people that loyalty to the Babylonians would ensure their safety.
25:25 seventh month. October, 586 B.C., two months after the destruction of Jerusalem (cf. v. 8). Ishmael. Elishama, Ishmael’s grandfather, was a secretary under Jehoiakim (Jer. 36:12; 41:1). Ishmael probably assassinated Gedaliah because he wished to reestablish the kingship in Judah with himself as king, since he was of royal blood (cf. Jer. 41:1).
25:26 went to Egypt. Fearing reprisals from the Babylonians, the people fled to Egypt.
25:27 thirty-seventh year. March, 561 B.C. Jehoiachin was about 55 years old (cf. 24:8). Evil-Merodach. The son and successor of Nebuchadnezzar, he ruled as king of Babylon from 562–560 B.C. To gain favor with the Jews, the king released Jehoiachin from his imprisonment and gave him special privileges.
25:28–30 spoke kindly to him. This good word from the king of Babylon to the surviving representative of the house of David served as a concluding reminder of God’s good Word to David. Through the curse of exile, the dynasty of David had survived. There was still hope that God’s good Word to David concerning the seed who will build God’s temple and establish God’s eternal kingdom would be fulfilled (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12–16). The book of 2 Kings opened with Elijah being carried away to heaven, the destination of all those faithful to God. The book ends with Israel, and then Judah, being carried away to pagan lands as a result of failing to be faithful to God.
2 Kings 1
1:1 a 2 Sam. 8:2
1:1 b 2 Kin. 3:5
1:2 c 1 Kin. 22:40
1:2 d 2 Kin. 1:3, 6, 16; Matt. 10:25; Mark 3:22
1:2 e 1 Sam. 5:10
1:2 1 Lit. Lord of Flies
1:3 2 Or Angel
1:5 3 Ahaziah
1:8 f Zech. 13:4; Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6
1:8 g 1 Kin. 18:7
1:10 h 1 Kin. 18:36–38; Luke 9:54
1:13 i 1 Sam. 26:21; Ps. 72:14
1:13 4 Lit. bowed down
1:15 5 Or Angel
1:17 j 1 Kin. 22:50; 2 Kin. 8:16; Matt. 1:8
1:17 6 The son of Ahab king of Israel, 2 Kin. 3:1
2 Kings 2
2:1 a Gen. 5:24; (Heb. 11:5)
2:1 b 1 Kin. 19:16–21
2:2 c Ruth 1:15, 16
2:2 d 1 Sam. 1:26; 2 Kin. 2:4, 6; 4:30
2:3 e 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:5, 7, 15; 4:1, 38; 9:1
2:3 1 Lit. from your head
2:8 f Ex. 14:21, 22; Josh. 3:16; 2 Kin. 2:14
2:8 g Josh. 3:17
2:11 h 2 Kin. 6:17; Ps. 104:4
2:11 i Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5
2:12 j 2 Kin. 13:14
2:14 k 2 Kin. 2:8
2:15 l 2 Kin. 2:7
2:15 2 Or at Jericho opposite him saw
2:16 m 1 Kin. 18:12; Ezek. 8:3; Acts 8:39
2:17 n 2 Kin. 8:11
2:21 o Ex. 15:25, 26; 2 Kin. 4:41; 6:6; John 9:6
2:21 3 purified
2:22 p Ezek. 47:8, 9
2:24 q Deut. 27:13–26
2:25 r 1 Kin. 18:19, 20; 2 Kin. 4:25
